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Ch. 20 - Recombinant DNA Technology

Chapter 19, Problem 19

Should the FDA regulate direct-to-consumer genetic tests, or should these tests be available as a 'buyer beware' product?

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Hello, everyone. Here's our next question. If a scientist wants to study the genetic causes of various unrelated conditions, which of the following genetic testing is the most appropriate. So we're looking at a variety of conditions with that are, that have genetic causes that are unrelated to each other as far as the scientist knows. So let's look at the answer choices here and decide which would be most appropriate. And the one we're actually gonna look at is choice, see eggs, um sequencing. So we think about what the exam is over here exam. So it is the group of all the protein coding genes in the DNA that can affect the phenotype. Don't forget that we have in our D N A. There's a lot of non coding DNA and there's a lot of what we call junk DNA. So if you spend your time sequencing all that D N A, um when you're looking for the cause of a genetic condition, that would be a lot of wasted time and effort. You'd want to look instead of the eggs, um all the protein coding genes. So those would be the genes you'd be looking for to cause this particular condition. So that's why we use eggs um sequencing. In this case, let's look at our other intra choices to understand why they're not correct choices, genome sequencing. As we said, that would include non coding DNA and junk D N A and just would be basically too much info unnecessary information. So that's why that's not our answer. Choice choice B, panel testing would be the opposite problem. Not enough information Because panel testing give you information on a group of related genes associated with a specific condition. So you say this person has this genetic condition, it can be caused by one of several different gene mutations. I'm going to look for which of those is causing this condition. And I'd have pre made specific panels to allow me to look at that group of related genes. So that wouldn't give me enough information if I'm looking for unrelated conditions. So that's why that's not a correct answer. And then finally choice d single gene testing again, not enough information that's only looking for mutations in a single gene. And I'm looking at various different conditions which since they're unrelated, most likely occur on different genes. So again, this would be not enough info. So for example, this would be if I'm testing for sickle cell anemia, I only need to consider the H B B gene since sickle cell anemia is caused by a single based permutation in that one gene. But that's my choice D isn't our answer. So again, if a scientist wants to study the genetic causes of various unrelated conditions, which the following genetic testing is the most appropriate choice C exam sequencing. See you in the next video.
Related Practice
Textbook Question

To estimate the number of cleavage sites in a particular piece of DNA with a known size, you can apply the formula N/4ⁿ where N is the number of base pairs in the target DNA and n is the number of bases in the recognition sequence of the restriction enzyme. If the recognition sequence for BamHI is GGATCC and the  phage DNA contains approximately 48,500 bp, how many cleavage sites would you expect?

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Textbook Question

The National Institutes of Health created the Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) to increase transparency by publicly sharing information about the utility of their tests, research for the general public, patients, health-care workers, genetic counselors, insurance companies, and others. The Registry is intended to provide better information to patients, but companies involved in genetic testing are not required to participate. Should company participation be mandatory? Why or why not? Explain your answers.

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Textbook Question

In a typical PCR reaction, describe what is happening in stages occurring at temperature ranges (a) 92-26 °C, (b) 45-65 °C, and (c) 65-75 °C.

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Textbook Question

We usually think of enzymes as being most active at around 37°C, yet in PCR the DNA polymerase is subjected to multiple exposures of relatively high temperatures and seems to function appropriately at 65–75°C. What is special about the DNA polymerase typically used in PCR?

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Textbook Question

Would you have your genome sequenced, if the price was affordable? Why or why not? If you answered yes, would you make your genome sequence publicly available? How might such information be misused?

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Textbook Question

Traditional Sanger sequencing has largely been replaced in recent years by next-generation and third-generation sequencing approaches. Describe advantages of these sequencing methods over first-generation Sanger sequencing.

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